From Adelaide to Alice Springs
The next major stop on the Great Ocean Road was then Adelaide, the last big city for a few thousand miles. Here we had an appointment with Hansi & Margit, which we then wanted to make our trip through the Outback. But let's start the tour from Adelaide was on the program.
On the first day, we are however not really gone to town, but have looked around in the outskirts for new shoes for our Willy. However, no shop 4 equal tires for our size or our rights ... We just wanted to had only one set of so-called "all-terrain tires," so off-road tires that are better suited for our Outbacktour because they are built sturdy and put away the hardships better; ) However, our budget is so limited so we were able to buy only second hand, since new had begun at about $ 200 per piece, and that's too expensive. However, we are determined 6 tires hit stores but none had a complete set of tires: (But at least we got two and two tires, and that's something.
The search for the tires but it has taken a long time consuming and so we drove to a parking lot where we wanted to spend the night. He was also in and of itself quite nice, at least until it got dark, for then, thousands of mosquitoes that have literally eaten us! We have rebuilt the speed of light in our bed and are purely bound. But even in bed there was no better, for while the rebuilding is about 20 mosquitoes got into the car and wanted to go all still be killed:) So the hunt went on and eventually they were all dead, thankfully! Meanwhile, we have seen out there have tried two young men view to stimulating their car, they had, in fact tempered her light, and so their battery was empty. It wanted but everything is working fine not so true, so Timo is then folded again and helped. Since it worked with the pushing then, otherwise we could help with jumper cables on.
The next day we then spent our view the city. Adelaide is the capital as the Australian festival known. There were just 2 big festivals going on, but of which we have not noticed as much because we had other things to do. One morning we spent at the Museum of South Australia "and there we could see a wonderful exhibition on the history and culture of the Aborigines, arms above the water bags, medicine (including drugs: p) and methods for making fire was a lot of them there .
The remaining days we have then often spent more errands to run, we can use in the Outback. And we have, since the meat supply difficulties in the desert and above all, is expensive, Chopped and bought us a couple of glasses of boiled then we may use up little by little;) On Monday, 01.03. we went off in the morning towards Alice Springs. The first target was the Flinders Ranges National Park is the main attraction of the park, the Wilpena Pound, a kind of giant salad bowl in the middle of nature. Since we first arrived in the afternoon it was already too late to even walk on the edge of the bowl. It had been a approximately 4-hour hike, and for that it was simply too late. So we are still gone on to the campsite where we wanted to sleep. The hike we were then made for the next morning. So it went on for about 30 km, most of it on dirt road and through dry river beds;) Only a few days before the track was impassable because it had rained heavily, but we have to a large puddle (see photos) no Water views.
After a quick breakfast, we went back the next morning to Wilpena Pound and we took a hike in the attack. Luckily it was not so hot on that day because the track was really steep and rocky in between. After about 1.5 hour we had reached the top and could see into the bowl;) The view was beautiful, but the right impression of the dish until you get when you make a flight over it. We have not done, however;) There are indeed where is the picture postcards from a plane on it.
After the hike, we still made lunch and discuss further planning. The day's goal was then Leigh Creek, no special place, but the fuel was there relatively cheaply. On the way out there, we still have a deliberate detour on gravel put into buying, but this ended with a flat tire on our car: (After the tire change, we are then only driven a short distance and have spent the night at a rest stop. The last 60km to Leigh Creek, we drove the next morning. We had not had breakfast, because the flies in the parking lot was so annoying, so we stopped in between. Fittingly as in "Breakfast Time Creek" was beautiful and fortunately, no shade water;) The flies were indeed hardly less annoying but we were hungry and then have just had breakfast there.
In Leigh Creek, we were then just fill up and have us worried about the road conditions, because many roads were flooded due to heavy rainfall or blocked due to great harm. Up to Coober Pedy, everything was reasonably passable, and that was erstmal the most important for us. On that day, but we wanted to erstmal to come to William Creek. We have also managed, almost without problems, if we are not yet 30 km before the second tire had burst (which was annoying, because all day they have held out well and no problems, and just before the finish line he lets us down. Luckily we still have a second spare tire, which was then quickly mounted and the remaining distance could be tackled. Amazingly, both of us are always Tire kaputtgegangen at sunset;), so to speak just before closing time "... but what solls. In William Creek, we're yet arrived and there was also a tire repair shop. Imagine, however under no illusion William Creek special because there's actually nothing there except a roadhouse () So rest area, a campground and maybe three other houses. The Roadhouse was something special, because on every wall of hundreds (if not hung thousands) of memorabilia that people have left there. There really was hanging everything from business cards, photographs, student identity, identity cards, an old GDR-licenses plates, hats, to credit cards, postcards, bank notes of various currencies and and and ... there we then have to repair our tires, because the whole without a spare tire, we did not want to move on. Unfortunately we had to also take $ 50 per tire to purchase. But what choice did we have?! We had no great distance before that day, so we were not under time pressure. The repair took about an hour because he twice had to make a tire (the patch has not kept). The time we have driven ourselves to perpetuate ourselves on a wall:) We still had a postcard from Erfurt, the process of the We wrote our names and date on it and stuck with it against the wall. But then we could continue, at least 20 km. Then we made a photo stop and jumped on a scrap car around. Back at the car Timo could hear a hiss at one of the patched tire. Unfortunately, exactly was the one mounted to the car. So it was again: tire change. Luckily we had not gone far and were able to turn around and go back. Once back at the Roadhouse has the head before boarding apology and hardly eingekriegt again. Each of us has to get a drink on the house, then there were still ice and the tires he has, of course, free newly mended. The Australians really nice;) It was just a shame about the time we had to sacrifice this again. But what heck, if we take the tires should have mended elsewhere, it would only cost money again.
In the afternoon we then arrived in Coober Pedy, a city represents itself as the opal capital of the world. And indeed, the main business of the city looking for opals grind and sell. About 40 nations are found in the population of the city and half the people live underground in old mine shafts or specially dug holes home:) The reason for the strong fluctuations in temperature over the year. In winter it can get cold at night up to 0 ° C, where the summer temperatures reach up to 50 ° C. Under the earth, the temperature is not always constant, and make your stay more comfortable. We spent the night at a campsite (but above ground). The next morning we went shopping before leaving and stock up yet and we have been looked at an underground church. The plan was that we drive from Coober Pedy out again away from the paved highway to our beloved dirt roads, but there were too many closed lines and unfortunately we could not, as planned on non-asphalted roads to Alice Springs. So it went from then on the highway next to Alice Springs. We still had about 850 km before us, but there were not particularly see much. The main occupation was only driving. We looked at nor the Henbury meteorite craters and the so-called Rainbow Valley. The meteorite craters are the remains of several explosions, a total of 12, which have a diameter of 7 to 180m and up to 15m deep. The largest of the boulders came from the sky is at least 44kg heavy and is now in a museum in Alice Springs.
The Rainbow Valley got its name from the different colored rocks from which it is formed. Especially in the evening sun light up the rocks in beautiful colors and make the Rainbow Valley so beautiful.
After that we went directly to Alice Springs where we will rest for two days now, before it went on Tuesday towards Western Australia. Before us, then lie 1500km smooth gravel road, which 1200km in one piece! This is certainly a challenge for man and material, but it will come;) We look forward in any event and to seeing how much we can expect oncoming traffic. We are certainly not much:) Especially on the route from west to Ayers Rock to Kalgoorlie.
We certainly are 8 days on the road in no man's land and then have again only connection to civilization. When we have our adventure behind us, there are probably another new blog entry, and many new photos you can look forward to it already:)
So then, until, soon)
Love from Tina & Timo




